


Childhood Memories

by Galaxa13



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-06
Updated: 2015-05-24
Packaged: 2018-03-29 06:52:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3886495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galaxa13/pseuds/Galaxa13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look at our favorite idiot space marines before they put on their armor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Caboose

    Alice is watching the window as you draw. Everyone has been waiting for your parents to come home and Alice has taken up the watch at the window after Carol got bored. You haven't taken the watch yet, you've been occupying yourself in other ways. You grip your crayon tightly as you add flowers to the scene. If you concentrate on this drawing maybe you won't think about why your parents are away.

    "They're back! They're back!" Alice starts screeching from her lookout. Suddenly there's pounding footsteps and everyone is in the living room, trying to peer out the windows. Jessica is holding May and letting her look out at your parents as they arrive. You stay at the table staring down at your drawing.

    The minutes seem to drag on before your parents come in, looking tired but happy. Your father is holding a baby carrier. They immediately are crowded by your sisters as everyone welcomes them home and coos over their new sibling. You stay at the table staring down at your drawing.

    Everybody is smitten with Annie, even the now second youngest, Felicia, who giggles as soon as Tracy brings her close. They are all laughing and smiling. Nobody even looks your way as you refuse to join them. It's always like this when there's a new baby. They're always a new baby. Maybe there was all this fuss when you were born, but you obviously don't remember any of it. You're parents are so proud and your sisters are overjoyed with each new additional sister. It's never a brother. Maybe you would be happier if it were a brother.

    You finally get up from the table, drawing in hand, and make your way to your room. Nobody even notices you leave. They'll notice when they come to bed and find you already there. Mom said that someday you'll get your own room, but only because the girls will want a "boy-free space" in a couple of years. You'll probably just get Pepper and Jillian's room when they move out. You hope your parents will let you re-paint their room blue.

    For now you walk into the pale yellow room with butterfly stickers that you share with three of your sisters. You place your drawing on top of the dresser you share with Carol and then change into your pajamas. You can still hear everyone talking in the living room as you crawl into the bottom bunk and pull the covers over your head.

    Your name is Michael J. Caboose and you hate babies.


	2. Donut

    This is the time of day you enjoy the most. After lunch when it grows hot. Most of the work has been done during the cooler morning hours and everyone is resting after eating. Despite the heat you find yourself sitting on top of the tractor looking out across the fields. Everything just seems really peaceful at the time of day. Insects fill the air with their buzzing and the breeze makes ripples in the corn.

    Next month is the start of harvest season. There'll be a lot more work to do and a lot less of these quiet moments where you can do what you want. Less time to sit around and think about stuff. Things like. . .

    Your eyes catch a bird flying over head. They follow its path as it soars over the fields until at last it's nothing more than a pinprick and disappears from sight. It's so small and these fields are so big, but the sky is even bigger. You turn your head up and gaze into the blue expanse above you. Higher than that you know is an even bigger expanse littered with countless stars and worlds.

    You're just as tiny as that bird. You feel small enough when you look out at these fields of corn, but you know there's even more out there than these farms, more out there than the same roads you travel every day. It's a terrifying thought, how small you really are.

    Curling your knees up to your chest you wrap your arms around your legs and bury your face in your jeans. You have to get off of this farm some day, you have to get out of here. Go somewhere far away where you don't feel as small and lonely. Sometimes it just feels like you're being swallowed up and nobody ever really listens. All people talk about is corn and nobody has time for your hobbies or fears. You hate it.

    No. You have to stop thinking about it. You can't let yourself have a fit like last time. That only made things worse as everyone told you to man up. Just stop thinking about how big the sky is and how you see nothing but corn for miles. Stop reminding yourself how small you are. Stop it.

    Your name is Franklin Delano Donut and you spend a lot of time repressing the thoughts you have on the farm.


	3. Grif

    It's so cold. Even in your jacket and hat you're still freezing. You don't think you've ever been this cold before. Everything is so white. You've never seen snow before and it's a surreal experience. The sound your feet make as they sink into the snow, the little flurries that dance along with the wind, the unnatural quietness of it all.

    Or at least it would be quiet if your sister wasn't yammering on next to you. You're not even really listening to her as the two of you make your trek through this frozen scene. Mom had mentioned there was a frozen pond back here and Kai immediately pressured you into going skating with her. You wanted to build a snowman, but she wouldn't leave you alone. So to get her off your back you agreed to go ice skating with her. With a pair of skates hanging from your shoulder you try to ignore how cold your nose is as you walk.

    When you finally get to the pond the two of you take a seat in the snow and start putting on your skates. Your fingers keep getting tangled up in the laces, but you eventually manage. You have to help pull Kai back on her feet out of the snow and after she brushes herself off she ventures out onto the pond. With wobbly steps you follow her onto the ice. This shouldn't be that hard, right? It's like normal skating, but on ice. You've been skating before, back home in Hawaii, but you still find you're having some trouble keeping your balance. Kai doesn't seem to be nearly as troubled as you and she's already gliding away.

    "Wow, you sure suck at this!" she says as she comes back and skates right past you. You glare at her and start a slow glide around the perimeter of the pond. She laughs at you and makes her way closer to the middle of the pond with speed. What a show off. You finally have your balance under control, but you decide to stick on the outer edge. You'd rather be closer to land if you fall on your ass so you can crawl back to your feet rather than slip and slide around on the ice looking like an idiot.

    Suddenly you hear a scream and your head whips around just in time to watch your sister fall through the ice and into the frigid water. You scream out her name, horrified, as you try to get to her, but in your haste you lose your balance and fall on your face. Your chin stings from the impact and you look up to see no sign of your sister struggling to get out of the water. No. No, no, no, no, no! Frantically you sit up and begin tugging at the skates strapped to your feet. The difficulty you had putting them on his nothing compared to the difficulty you now face taking them off! Your fingers are colder and work more slowly and your fear for Kai isn't helping matters. You keep glancing at the hole in the ice, but you still don't see any signs of your little sister.

    Finally you tear the skates off and toss them aside before you start running back to the lodge your family is renting in a panic. You can't get to her on the ice and you know well enough that even if you could you'd risk breaking more ice and falling through yourself. You have to get help. Call 911 or something! Oh god, how are you going to explain this to Mom? She just wanted to see her kids now that the circus is taking a little break. You run as fast as you can back the way you came. You have to save Kai.

    Your name is Dexter Grif and this is the worst family vacation ever.


	4. Tucker

    "Where's my money, Barry?"

    You don't even look up from the game in your hands as you hear your mom on the phone, but your ears listen keenly. She's talking to the dude who's your father. A man you've never met before.

    "I don't want your excuses! Since you're not around to help raise your kid you're supposed to be sending me a check every month and yet, here I am, without any checks in the mail! If you don't send me the money I'm owed so help me God your door is gonna get busted down by an army of lawyers!"

    Your mom never says anything good about him and you can guess he feels the same about her. You don't blame him. At least he admitted he never wanted to be a parent, unlike your mom. Since you're a kid she probably thinks you're too dumb to notice, but you do. You weren't part of either of their plans and your mom is raising you out of some sense of obligation.

    "Screw you! We agreed on the terms years ago! If you want to change things take it to court, don't chicken out and hope I don't notice! He's your son, you're still responsible for him!" 

    You keep your eyes firmly planted on the screen as you lounge on the couch. She's going to be pissed off the rest of the day now, you just know it. Not that she wasn't already upset due to the lack of money in the mail. If you just engross yourself in this game maybe you can ignore her and she'll ignore you.

    "Well I better see that check soon, or you're in for a world of hurt, buddy!"

    You sense your mom walking up behind the couch, you're pretty sure she hung up on him. Then you feel a light, but firm smack on your head. You look up at her as she stares down at you.

    "Go do your homework." she says.

    "I don't have any." You reply.

    "Liar, you always have homework, now hop to it." she says, giving you another light smack.

    "Just let me finish this level, at least." you say as you turn your eyes back on your game.

    "I'm not taking excuses from two men today. Get off your butt and go do your homework." she says in an agitated voice.

    You better not push her. With a roll of your eyes you put your game down and get up off the couch. You don't spare her a glance as you make your way to your room in case she snaps at you about giving her "a look" or something. You never know with her.

    Your name is Lavernius Tucker and you never want to be a parent.


	5. Simmons

    You hear the front door open and you hastily snatch up a piece of bright purple paper before bolting out of your room, a huge grin plastered across your face. Your father is taking off his shoes as you run up to him.

    "Dad! Dad!" she say excitedly as you skid to a stop next to him.

    "Not now." he says tiredly as he waves you away.

    "But, Dad, I-"

    "I said not now, son. Daddy's had a long day at work." he sighs as your mother welcomes him home. She kisses him on the cheek and takes his jacket from him before walking off to put it away. Your eyes follow her figure briefly before locking back on your father, who walks pass you and towards his chair. Your shoulders slump as you watch him go.

    Then you look down at the paper you had been so proudly clutching to your chest. It boasts that you are the best helper in your class. There's even a red happy face sticker next to your name. Your arms drop and the certificate is held loosely at your side as you make your way back to your bedroom, head hanging.

    You had been so eager to show it off to your father. You had waited all day for him to come home so that you could share this achievement with him. Mom had been happy enough when you had showed it to her, but that wasn't enough. You wanted your father's approval as well. Yet, like always, he doesn't have time for you.

    Walking back into your bedroom you shut the door behind you and toss the paper. It does a couple flips in the air and slides under your desk. You'll probably pick it up later, but right now you couldn't care less about it. You crawl onto your bed and wrap your arms around your stuffed dog. Squeezing it tight to your chest you sigh and stare at the wall.

    Your name is Dick Simmons and you just want your dad to pay attention to you.


	6. Sarge

    The house is full of so many adults. So many people you don't recognize. Not a single other kid is here you sit on the couch bored out of your mind. You scratch yourself and squirm in your seat. This shirt is itchy. Your mom told you to wear it and be on your best behavior for the party. Where even are your parents? Somewhere in the sea of faces talking to people you don't know, you're sure. Someone sits next to you. You look up to see an unfamiliar man smiling at you.

    "Hey there, champ, how are you?" the man asks pleasantly. You give him a shrug and look away. "Aw, come on, is that any way to treat your old Uncle Franky?" You look at him again, brows furrowed.

    "You're my uncle?" you question.

    "Sure am, kiddo, been a while since we last saw each other." he laughs. He must have only seen you as a baby then, because as you rack your brain you can't conjure up any images of him.

    "You look pretty bored." he muses.

    "Yeah. There isn't really much to do." you sigh as you sweep your eyes over the room again. 

    "Hey, I can show you something fun." he whispers conspiratorially as he leans closer. You don't really like him being that close. Then he stands up and smiles at you saying, "Come on, let's go to the backyard."

    You don't really want to follow him, but it will beat sitting here on the couch losing your mind from boredom. Hopping off the couch you follow him through the house and past all the guests until the both of you slip out the back door and into the empty backyard. He walks over to the garden hose. The hairs on the back of your neck stand up as he unbuttons his pants, but you can't look away.

    You go by Sarge and this man _isn't_ your uncle.


	7. Church

    "Come on, Sweety, smile for the picture!"

    "Mooooom!"

    "One smile and we'll be done!"

    You heave a sigh and then put on a smile for your mother and she takes the picture. As soon as she's done you go back to your scowl. She chuckles and your dad ruffles your hair.

    "Whoever saw such an unhappy birthday boy?" he says as you irritably smooth your hair back out.

    "Oh he'll cheer up once we start opening presents." your mother says as she walks back into the kitchen, probably getting more snack foods.

    "Can I go now?" you ask you dad.

    "Yes, we're done torturing you, go on and play with your friends."

    Wasting no time you run off towards the sound of chatter and laughter. A group of boys surround the T.V. and you join in watching some of them playing a game. When the round ends you shove your way to a controller and proclaim that since it's your birthday you get as many turns as you want. There's some disagreement, but you shoot them all down and everyone just lets you have your way in the end as the group laughs.

    A while later your mom brings out the cake and everyone busy themselves with stuffing their faces. Somebody decides it would be a great idea to smear your face with icing. You yell at them and a mini food fight starts. Your dad has to come in and break it up. Despite what anyone might say you're having the time of your life. You don't need to be grinning like a loon to be enjoying yourself. This is one of the best days ever.

    It only gets better when you start opening presents. Your parents bought you your own computer! It's so sweet! You can't wait to start loading it up with all your cool stuff. There's a couple of R.C. cars from one of your friends and the group decides that you're totally going to set up a track and have a race. Somebody else gave you a chemistry set. It probably doesn't have anything in it that can make explosives, but you're interested to find out. You also got a pile of money from random relatives, but that all came in birthday cards over the past week. While not technically part of the present opening process you're still super pumped about getting it along with all this other sweet loot. When you finally get through everything people start grabbing discarded boxes and ribbons to start building the race track for the cars. You dad digs around for some batteries as you dictate how the track should go.

    Your name is Leonard L. Church and just like that name these aren't really _your_ memories.


End file.
